Improvement in corsets



FANNEY BATCHELLER.

- CORSET.

No.-18Z,74Z. Patented Oct. 3, 1.876. 3

Q A J a J INVENTOR. $2144 am Hannah 0. BATGHELLER, OF BOSTON, MAsSAonUSnTTs.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 182,742., dated October 3, 1876; application filed August 11, 1876.

1'0 all whom it may concern Beit known that I, FANNEY G. BATGHEL- LER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification:

It is a well-known fact thata full and round chest and fully-developed and properly-located breasts add greatly to female beauty, and that corsets are worn by ladies for the purpose of improving their figures. lu the'case of some ladies, while the breasts are large and well developed, they are too low, or extend too far under the arms to give to the possessor a good form without the aid of artificial appliances in connection with the dress of the person 5 hence the use of corsets as an essential feature of a ladys dress. The object for which corsets are worn is very imperfectly attained, if attained at all, by the corsets heretofore in use, and in many cases they increase the difliculty instead of obviating it. In order that corsets may accomplish the main object for which they are worn, they should be so constructed as to press or hold up the breasts, and also press them gently in a lateral direction toward each other, and thus give a rounded and full appearance to the Whole bust, and without injury to the wearer; and it is especially desirable when wearing low necked dresses that the padding, if worn, should be under rather than on the breasts, and aid thecorsets in holding them up, and gently pressing them in a lateral direction.

To obviate the difficulties above cited, and

, attain the desirable results set forth, is the object of my present invention; and it consists, first, in making the bustportion of a corset double or of two thicknesses of material, connected together a little below the ordinary bust or swell designed to receive the breasts, the inner portion extending from the front around to a point under or nearly under the arms, and extending upward nearly to the top of the corset proper or the outer thickness, the two portions being separated at the top, and the inner portion made somewhat shorter than the outer one, measuring around the person, so as toi'orm a pocket or space between the two thicknesses to receive the padding or stuffing. l

My invention further consists in a corset having the bust-portion thereof made double, the inner piece of which is made smaller circumferentially than the outer piece, and fits closely to the person of the wearer, in combination with a cushion or pad placed between said two thicknesses of the corset.

My invention further consists in making a corset with the bust portion thereof double, or of two distinct and separate thicknesses, connected together just below the swell for the breasts, the inner piece of which is made shorter circumferentially than the outer piece, and provided with one or more gores extended from the top downward, but not as low as the gores in the outer portion, and one or more slits from. the top downward, provided with suitable lacings for adjusting said inner piece to fit the person of the wearer tightly, so as to press the breasts gently upward and toward the front part of the person.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of my improved corset with the cushions or pads removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through one of the swells for the breast; and Fig. 3is an inside elevation of one-half of the corset, looking directly into one of the swells for the breast.

A A are the two halves of an ordinary corset, secured togetherin front by the clasps a a, and at the back by the lacing b, all in a wellknown manner. B B are two inner liningpieces, provided with whalebones in the same manner as the corset proper, and permanently attached to said corset proper by being sewed thereto, or woven together in the manufacture, along the line from c to 01 just below the swell of the bust, and from d to 6 under or nearly under the arms, as well as at the front edge of each half of the corset, said inner piece B being made somewhat shorter than the outer piece A, measuring from the junction of the rear edge of said inner piece with the outer piece around to the front division of the corset, so as'to fit closer to the person and leave a space between the two parts to receive the pad or stuffing G. The inner piece B may be stitched to the outer portion of the corset along the whole height of its rear edge, or it may be attached thereto by means of the lacings D, as shown. One or more gores,ff, are

' formed in the upper edge of the inner piece B, extending from its top edge downward, but not quite as low as the gores g g in the outer portion of the corset A. The inner piece B is also provided with one or more slits, h h, also extending downward from the top, but tied together at the extreme top by the band 03 to limit the opening, and adapted to be drawn together by the lacing 9' to adjust the piece B to the size of the breast. G is one of the pads or cushions placed between the two thicknesses A and B of the corset in the position in which it is to be worn, though its shape or form and degree of fullness may be varied to suit the form and degree of development of the wearer. The wearer adapts theinner pieces B to her person by means of the lacings in such a manner and to such a degree that they will hold the breasts up and press them gently laterally or toward the front of the person.

The padding 0 is placed beneath the breast instead-ofover it. This gives afull and plump look even with those slightly developed, the

natural tendency of this arrangement being to 1 press up the flesh above the breasts and overcome a sunken or hollow look of the upper part of the chest. This arrangement also avoids excessive heat arising from placing the padding directly on the breasts, which is found to be very disagreeable to the wearer, and tends to lessen the natural development and injure the form or shape of the breasts.

This device is particularly adapted to overcome the sagging tendency of the breasts, as shown in the case of women who have nursed children and thereby lost that rounduess and fullness of figure which is so desirable.

The distance to which the doubled portion of the corset should extend around the side of the person is variable, it being made sidered as a secondary or attached piece, and

A the corset proper; but the corset proper may form the inner piece, and the outer piece be the secondary or attached piece without in the least affecting the principles of the invention, it being understood thatin all cases the outer piece is to have the greater fullness, and the inner piece to contain the gores f and slits h and lacings j.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A corset the bust portion of which is made double or of two thicknesses of material, each supplied with whalebone, the outer having more fullness than the inner, and the two connected together about the base of the bust, but separate and open at the top, as and for the purposes described.

2. A corset provided with the outer bust A and the inner bust B, having less fullness than A, and connected thereto below the bust and disconnected and open at the top, as set forth, in combination with the removable cushion or pad 0 placed between A and B, substantially as described.

3. [n a corset having its bust portion made double or of two separate thicknesses of material having different degrees of fullness, and connected together about the base of the bust, as set forth, one or more gores,ff, and one or more slits, h h, and lacingsj, all arranged and adapted to operate as and for the purpose described.

Executed this 26th day of July, 1876.

FANNEY O. BATUHELLER.

Witnesses:

MARY Fox, BRIDGET Fox. 

